A night to remember for Aurora Central

Updated: March 23, 2011 2:22PM

Aurora Central Catholic teammates Natalie Steinwart and Crysta Hoffman kissed her on both cheeks.

Teammates lifted her off the court in celebration. The crowd chanted her name, calling for her to cut down her part of the net.

It was all reciprocation for what Chargers' guard Jacquie Cardona had just done: carry her team to its first regional title with a 49-45 victory over Rosary in Thursday's final of the IMSA Class 3A Regional.

"She was just taking it to the hole," Chargers forward Katilyn Rosa said. "We were just like ‘OK, Jacquie, do your thing.' But we're always there for her. She just carries the team sometimes and it's just awesome. She played amazing tonight. It was just beautiful. I love her so much."

With nearly everyone from either team who touched the floor in foul trouble - nine players had four fouls or more - Cardona was whisked in and out of the lineup, defense for offense, the entire second half.

But when the Chargers (19-9) needed a basket, she was there, scoring 22 points while hitting 8 of 11 shots at the free throw line as ACC reached the sectional for the first time in the 36-year history of the program.

"It's amazing we were able to do this," Cardona said. "My teammates just made me ball tears. It's unexplainable."

The Chargers were unable to make a field goal in the fourth quarter and Cardona made the only three of the second half, but they still somehow hung on for victory.

Rosary (12-15), which sent ACC packing last year, fell behind 10-0 with Cardona scoring six of the points.

The Royals shot 9 of 28 in the first half and the rim was just as unfriendly in the second half, even at the line where Rosary was 14 of 28.

Breann Maryanski scored 10 with seven rebounds and Brenda Rocha had 13 points and eight rebounds, but the Royals missed several open looks in a four-point game in the final three minutes, allowing ACC to just stay ahead.

"They outplayed us tonight," Rosary coach Dave Beebe said. "Their shots fell. I don't think our kids lacked effort. We just dug ourselves a hole, a little too deep. We just didn't shoot well and you can't beat too many people when you shoot like that."

Ashley Wilk scored nine points and hauled in 12 rebounds, while Rosa added eight points and seven rebounds to get the monumental win for ACC and put its coach in tears.

"They absolutely refused to lose," coach Mark Fitzgerald said. "What an effort. They didn't do it offensively but they sure did it defensively tonight. They would not be denied."

The foul trouble played an unusual role in the game, causing seldom used role players to play large amounts of minutes on the defensive end - a total team victory even though only one player scored in double figures.

Aurora Central will head to the Burlington Central Sectional where it faces an even tougher task, but nothing will fade this night from the Chargers' memory.

"This win was for the girls on my first team," said Fitzgerald, a third-year coach. "We only won three games, but they started this ‘We Believe' thing, they started the mojo that was followed by last year's 13-win team and now this group here. My hats off to everyone in this program."

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